TIMELINE: Iran's nuclear program

(Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog's governing body voted overwhelmingly on Friday to censure Iran for developing a uranium enrichment site in secret and they demanded it freeze the project immediately. Here is a timeline of Iran and its nuclear program this year:

February 5 - Russia says it plans to start up a nuclear reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant by the end of 2009. It says the plant is purely civilian and cannot be used for any weapons program.

March 20 - After years of U.S. attempts to isolate Iran, newly installed President Barack Obama calls for "engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect." Iran cautiously welcomes the overture, but says it wants to see practical steps.

April 9 - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Iran has mastered the nuclear fuel cycle and also tested more advanced machines for enriching uranium. He inaugurates the country's first atomic fuel fabrication plant near Isfahan.

June 5 - A quarterly IAEA report says Iran has 7,231 centrifuge enrichment machines installed, a 25 percent increase in potential capacity since March.

June 12 - Ahmadinejad is re-elected president. Protests break out by moderates who say the result was fixed.

September 2 - ElBaradei says Iran is not going to produce a nuclear weapon in the near future and the threat posed has been exaggerated.

September 12 - Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says Iran will not back down in its nuclear dispute with the West, a day after the United States said it would accept Tehran's offer of wide-ranging talks with six world powers.

September 24 - China dampens expectations of further sanctions against Iran, telling major powers more pressure will not persuade Tehran to halt its nuclear program.

-- In contrast, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown tells the United Nations the world should consider tougher sanctions.

September 25 - The IAEA says Iran has told it about a second uranium enrichment plant being built. Construction of the plant, near the city of Qom, began in 2006.

October 1 - Iran meets six world powers in Geneva. Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili meets U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns.

-- Iran accepts a plan at the talks to send 75 percent of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia and France. There it would be made into special fuel for a Tehran reactor making medical materials, which will run out next year. Iran has not confirmed it is prepared to go through with the deal.

October 3 - ElBaradei arrives in Iran for talks on a timetable for inspectors to visit a newly disclosed enrichment plant.

October 19 - Vienna talks between Iran and world powers start well, despite Iran's reported refusal to negotiate with France.

October 21 - U.N. nuclear watchdog presents draft deal to reduce Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.

October 25 - U.N. nuclear experts inspect the newly disclosed centrifuge plant being built near the Shi'ite holy city of Qom. The site will refine uranium for civilian nuclear energy.

Oct 30 - Iran tells the IAEA it wants fresh nuclear fuel for a reactor in Tehran before it will agree to ship most of its enriched uranium stocks to Russia and France, according to U.N. diplomats.

November 18 - Iran says that Tehran will not send its enriched uranium abroad for further processing but would consider swapping it for nuclear fuel within its borders.

November 19 - U.S. President Barack Obama issues a strong warning to Iran of consequences of its failure to respond to the offer of a nuclear deal.

November 24 - World powers have drafted an IAEA resolution urging Iran to clarify the purpose of its previously secret uranium enrichment site, diplomats say.

-- Iran could consider sending its low-enriched uranium abroad, the Foreign Ministry says, apparently softening its opposition to a U.N. plan.

November 26 - ElBaradei criticizes Iran's blockage of a plan to divest it of possible nuclear bomb material as "disappointing."

November 27 - The IAEA votes - by a 25-3 margin with six abstentions - to censure Iran for developing the Fordow uranium enrichment plant in secret and demand Iran freezes the project.